Legwear

ABSTRACT

Legwear in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a stretchable main body part including an innermost-toe joint side region and an outermost-toe joint side region and a low-stretching part provided around the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region and configured to prevent the regions from becoming displaced relative to a foot in a downward direction or a front-back direction. The low-stretching part at least either is less stretchable than the main body part or has larger friction with the foot than the main body part has with the foot.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 on Patent Application No. 2019-070661 filed in Japan on Apr. 2, 2019, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to legwear to be worn by a leg. More specifically, the present invention relates to legwear which prevents displacement or prevents a foot from being out of the legwear due to motions such as walking.

BACKGROUND ART

In a case where a person walks or exercises with legwear on such as socks, the cloth of the toe part may become displaced in the width direction or foot-length direction, thereby causing discomfort. With a foot cover having an instep part made of a short cloth in particular, the toe part, not to mention the heel part, may come off, which unfortunately impairs wearing comfort greatly.

To solve the above issue, the conventional techniques below, for example, have been disclosed: Patent Literature 1 discloses a foot cover including a total-circumference stretching part around the front of an opening part and a narrow, partial stretching part at the back to ensure comfort in wearing the foot cover while preventing the foot cover from coming off. Patent Literature 2 discloses a foot cover including a stretching and adhesive strip-shaped silicon part at the periphery of an opening part.

CITATION LIST Patent Literature

[Patent Literature 1]

Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3211514

[Patent Literature 2]

Japanese Patent Application Publication, Tokukai, No. 2015-137426

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

The technique of Patent Literature 1, which involves including a stretching part at the front of the opening part, is unfortunately incapable of effectively preventing the toe part from being displaced or rotated. Increasing a compressing portion decreases wearing comfort. Increasing the compression force causes discomfort. In other words, compressively preventing a foot cover from coming off is not preferable, as decreasing compression reduces the effect, whereas increasing compression decreases wearing comfort.

Patent Literature 2 discloses a structure in which a silicon part is provided in the direction of the width of the instep part. However, since the instep part has a thin skin unlike that of the heel part, friction with the silicon part unfortunately tends to cause inflammation in the skin of the instep part. Further, with a shallowly worn foot cover that exposes part of the toes, a silicon part is present on the upper surface of the toes. This results in a small area of contact between the silicon part and the skin, unfortunately incapable of sufficiently preventing the foot cover from coming off.

In view of the above issue, an aspect of the present invention has an object of providing legwear that causes no stress such as compression or damage to the skin and that effectively prevents a toe part from becoming displaced or coming off.

Solution to Problem

In order to attain the above object, legwear in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes: a main body part configured to cover at least an area from a toe of a foot to an innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint and an outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint, the main body part including (i) an innermost-toe joint side region configured to cover the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint and (ii) an outermost-toe joint side region configured to cover the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint, the main body part being stretchable; and at least one low-stretching part provided around at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region and configured to prevent the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region from being displaced relative to the foot in a downward direction or a front-back direction, the downward direction being part of an up-down direction as a thickness direction of the foot, the front-back direction being a longitudinal direction of the foot, the at least one low-stretching part at least either being less stretchable than the main body part or having larger friction with the foot than the main body part has with the foot.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

An aspect of the present invention can in turn provide legwear that causes no stress such as compression or damage to the skin and that effectively prevents a toe part from becoming displaced or coming off.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(a) of FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an outline configuration of a foot cover for a right foot in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. (b) of FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the up-down direction and front-back direction for the legwear.

FIG. 2 provides drawings for explaining an innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint and an outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint. (a) of FIG. 2 is a plan view of bones on the side of the instep of a right foot. (b) of FIG. 2 is a left side view of bones of a right foot. (c) of FIG. 2 is a right side view of bones of a right foot.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating how a load is shifted on the sole during walking.

FIG. 4 provides diagrams for explaining a transverse arch of a sole. (a) of FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a right foot, illustrating the transverse arch of the sole. (b) of FIG. 4 is a plan view of bones of a right foot on the sole side for explaining the transverse arch. (c) of FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of bones of a right foot for explaining the transverse arch.

FIG. 5 provides diagrams each for explaining the thickness of skin. (a) of FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the thickness of skin at an innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint and an outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint. (b) of FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the thickness of skin above the toes of a foot.

(a) to (o) of FIG. 6 are each a diagram illustrating a variation of a low-stretching part in accordance with the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 provides diagrams for explaining how a right foot is bent about an axis extending through an innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint and an outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint as a result of walking or exercising. (a) of FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a foot that has not been bent. (b) of FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a foot that has been bent.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The following description will discuss an embodiment of the present invention with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

[Configuration of Legwear]

(a) of FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an outline configuration of legwear 1 for a right foot, in accordance with the present embodiment. (b) of FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the up-down direction and front-back direction for the legwear 1. As illustrated in (a) of FIG. 1, the legwear 1 includes a main body part 2 to be worn on a foot F and a low-stretching part 10 for preventing the main body part 2 from becoming displaced or coming off. The description below regards the thickness direction of a foot as being an up-down direction (see the y direction in (b) of FIG. 1) and the longitudinal direction of a foot as being a front-back direction (see the x direction in (b) of FIG. 1).

(Main Body Part 2)

The main body part 2 includes a sole part 21 for covering the sole of a foot F, a toe part 22 for covering the toes of the foot F, side parts 23 for covering the respective opposite sides of the foot F, and a heel part 24 for covering the heel of the foot F. The main body part 2 further includes, at a position opposite to the sole part 21 in the up-down direction, an opening part 2 a via which a foot is inserted or pulled out. The heel part 24 desirably has an inner surface provided with a nonslip portion.

The opening part 2 a has an opening so wide as to expose the instep and ankle. This allows the entire main body part 2 to, when a shoe is worn, be hidden in the shoe. The legwear 1 has a shallowly worn shape that exposes part of the branching site of the toes of the foot F.

The main body part 2 is configured to cover at least an area from the toes of a foot F to the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2. The main body part 2 is made of a highly stretching cloth. The main body part 2 includes an innermost-toe joint side region P1 for covering a side (lateral surface) of the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and an outermost-toe joint side region P2 for covering a side (lateral surface) of the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2.

FIG. 2 provides drawings for explaining the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2. (a) of FIG. 2 is a plan view of bones on the side of the instep of a right foot. (b) of FIG. 2 is a left side view of bones of a right foot. (c) of FIG. 2 is a right side view of bones of a right foot. A metatarsophalangeal joint is a joint that joins a finger bone N1 with a metatarsal bone N2 as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 2. The innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 is, as illustrated in (a) to (c) of FIG. 2, the metatarsophalangeal joint of the innermost toe. The outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2 is the metatarsophalangeal joint of the outermost toe.

The innermost-toe joint side region P1 is that region of the main body part 2 which covers a side of the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 when the legwear 1 is worn. The innermost-toe joint side region P1 can simply be a region that, when the legwear 1 is worn, covers at least that region Q11 of the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 which protrudes most.

The outermost-toe joint side region P2 is that region of the main body part 2 which covers a side of the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2 when the legwear 1 is worn. The outermost-toe joint side region P2 can simply be a region that, when the legwear 1 is worn, covers at least that region Q12 of the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2 which protrudes most.

(Cloth of Main Body Part)

Legwear 1 of an embodiment of the present invention may be made of a cloth that is stretchable in the width direction. With this arrangement, when a person walks, and the center of gravity is shifted, so that an outer-surface part of a metatarsophalangeal joint pushes and extends the cloth, the outer-surface part of the metatarsophalangeal joint and the cloth come into close contact with each other, increasing the effect of preventing displacement. A later description will deal in detail with how an outer-surface part of a metatarsophalangeal joint pushes and extends the cloth. The stretchability (contraction force) depends on the purpose of use of the legwear 1. However, for daily use, for example, the legwear 1 simply has a contraction force sufficient to cause the cloth to fit constantly with the skin, and does not require a contraction force that even causes a feeling of compression.

The cloth may be any cloth with a stretchability suitable for the purpose as described above. The cloth is, however, desirably fabric because fabric has a contraction force that can be adjusted as appropriate in accordance with the knitting tissue or knitting yarn. The legwear 1 may be made of a cloth (called free-cut cloth) that when cut, will have an end surface that is not frayed even if the cut surface is not subjected to a process such as sewing. With this arrangement, a cloth end positioned at the periphery of the opening part 2 a has no roughness, and the periphery of the opening part 2 a is flat. This can reduce stimulation on the skin of the instep part.

The legwear 1 may include a sole part 21 made of a pile fabric for a cushioning characteristic. The legwear 1 may be made of nylon. The legwear 1 may alternatively be made of a natural fiber such as cotton or a blended yarn containing a synthetic fiber. The sole part 21 and the side parts 23 may be made of respective materials different from each other.

The main body part 2 of the present embodiment is desirably made of fabric. The main body part 2 may alternatively be formed by a method such as sewing pieces of cloth that have been weaved with use of a weaving machine. The main body part 2 may be shaped to have a toe part 22 that is gently inclined from the innermost-toe side to the outermost-toe side along the contour of the toes, or have a toe part 22 for covering the toes which toe part 22 has a plurality of toe insertion parts.

(Low-Stretching Part)

The low-stretching part 10 is provided around at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region P1 and the outermost-toe joint side region P2 to prevent the region from becoming displaced (moved) relative to the foot F in a downward direction or front-back direction. The low-stretching part 10 has either of properties (1) and (2) below. The low-stretching part 10 may have both of properties (1) and (2) below. (1) Less stretchable than the main body part 2 (2) Having larger friction with the foot F than the main body part 2 has with the foot F The term “friction” as used herein refers to a coefficient of static friction, and can be calculated by, for example, maximum force of static friction (N1)/normal reaction (N2). The present embodiment includes a low-stretching part 10 both around the innermost-toe joint side region P1 and around the outermost-toe joint side region P2. The description below deals with a low-stretching part 10 provided around the innermost-toe joint side region P1. A similar description applies also a low-stretching part 10 provided around the outermost-toe joint side region P2.

The low-stretching part 10 of the present embodiment is in the shape of a strip as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 1. The shape of a strip refers primarily to the shape of a continuous surface having a width and a length. The strip shape may further be any shape that can, as a whole, substantially achieve a function equivalent to that of a strip shape. Examples includes a shape made up of, for example, partial shapes such as a line or a spot that form a whole substantially in the shape of a strip as later-described low-stretching parts 10 illustrated in (a) to (o) of FIG. 6. The low-stretching part 10 does not necessarily have a fixed width: It may partly have a small width or large width. The strip shape may be, for example, a straight line or curve. The low-stretching part 10 includes (i) a first strip-shaped part 11 c configured to prevent the innermost-toe joint side region P1 from becoming stretched in the front-back direction and (ii) second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b each configured to prevent the innermost-toe joint side region P1 from becoming stretched in the up-down direction.

The first strip-shaped part 11 c extends in the upward direction and in the front-back direction relative to the innermost-toe joint side region P1.

The second strip-shaped part 11 a and the second strip-shaped part 11 b are provided in such a manner as to sandwich the innermost-toe joint side region P1 in the front-back direction. The second strip-shaped part 11 a and the second strip-shaped part 11 b have respective upper end portions connected with each other by the first strip-shaped part 11 c. The low-stretching part 10 is, in other words, substantially in the shape of an angled C that is open toward the side of the sole of the foot F. The second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b desirably have respective lower ends that are lower in position than the center of the innermost-toe joint side region P1 in the up-down direction. The first strip-shaped part 11 c and the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b may alternatively be continuous with each other. The low-stretching part 10 desirably has an inner surface that comes into contact with a foot F which inner surface has larger friction with the foot F than an inner surface of the main body part 2 which inner surface comes into contact with the foot F has with the foot F.

The first strip-shaped part 11 c has a length smaller than the width of the innermost-toe joint side region P1 or outermost-toe joint side region P2. This allows the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b to be in contact with the innermost-toe joint side region P1 or outermost-toe joint side region P2. The second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are longer than the first strip-shaped part 11 c. Further, the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are oriented in such a pattern as to be farther apart from each other toward below. This allows the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b to naturally become even farther apart from each other in the shape of a fan in response to the foot F becoming bent about an axis extending through the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2 as illustrated in (a) and (b) of FIG. 7 as a result of walking or exercising. This allows the cloth of the legwear 1 to become stretched naturally without preventing a metatarsophalangeal joint from moving. This in turn suitably prevents the innermost-toe joint side region P1 or outermost-toe joint side region P2 from being displaced and the legwear 1 from coming off without impairing the wearing comfort. FIG. 7 provides diagrams for explaining how a right foot F is bent about an axis extending through the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2 as a result of walking or exercising. (a) of FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a foot F that has not been bent. (b) of FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a foot F that has been bent.

The low-stretching part 10 may be formed by, for example, one of the following methods (1) to (4): (1) Bond tape made of cloth with a stretchability lower than that of the cloth of the main body part 2 to the inner surface of the main body part 2 to form a low-stretching part 10 (2) Make the knitting pattern (stitching) for a low-stretching part 10 denser than the cloth of the main body part 2 to form a low-stretching part 10 (3) Form a low-stretching part 10 by knitting that prevents stretching such as tuck stitch (4) Apply resin or attach a sheet-shaped resin to the inner surface of the main body part 2 to form a low-stretching part 10

For the present embodiment, a sheet-shaped resin has been attached to the inner surface of the main body part 2 to form a low-stretching part 10. This can prevent frictional force on the skin, and also effectively prevent the legwear 1 from being displaced.

(Effect of Low-Stretching Part)

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating how a load is shifted on the sole during walking. As illustrated in FIG. 3, when a person walks, the center of gravity becomes present at the heel R1 as the heel R1 touches the ground. The center of gravity is then shifted gradually to the toes R4. On the sole of the foot F, near the digital pad parts (each of which swells at the root of the toes), the center of gravity is shifted from the outer side (outermost-toe side digital pad part R2) to the inner side (innermost-toe side digital pad part R3). Finally, through movement of the metatarsophalangeal joint, the center of gravity is shifted from the innermost-toe side digital pad part R3 to the toes R4 as the foot kicks the surface of the ground.

If conventional legwear is worn, the center of gravity on the outer side (outermost-toe side digital pad part R2) may cause the cloth near the outermost toe to be rotated or displaced. A shift of the center of gravity to the inner side (innermost-toe side digital pad part R3) causes the cloth to be displaced further. If the conventional legwear is, for example, a foot cover with a short instep part in particular, the cloth comes off from the outermost toe and finally from the innermost toe as well. The conventional legwear consequently comes off from the toe part.

As illustrated in (a) to (c) of FIG. 4, the metatarsophalangeal joint has a transverse arch S1. FIG. 4 provides diagrams for explaining the transverse arch S1 of a sole. (a) of FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a right foot, illustrating the transverse arch Si of the sole. (b) of FIG. 4 is a plan view of bones of a right foot on the sole side for explaining the transverse arch S1. (c) of FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along F1-F2 shown in (b) of FIG. 4 for explaining the transverse arch S1. Points F1 and F2 are positioned at opposite ends of the metatarsophalangeal joint. The metatarsophalangeal joint is shaped to protrude slightly in the width direction of the foot F when the center of gravity is shifted from the heel R1 to the toes R4 shown in FIG. 3 during walking, the transverse arch S1 is extended in the width direction of the foot F, while the metatarsophalangeal joint protrudes further in the width direction of the foot F. In other words, bones that form a curved surface due to the transverse arch S1 are straightened into a planar shape.

The low-stretching part 10 serves as a stopper. The low-stretching part 10 thus prevents the innermost-toe joint side region P1 and outermost-toe joint side region P2 of the legwear 1 from being moved in a downward direction or front-back direction relative to the foot F. Thus, even in a case where the user walks, and the outer-surface part of the metatarsophalangeal joint (that is, the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2) pushes up the cloth of the legwear 1, the side of the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 is not displaced from the innermost-toe joint side region P1, and the side of the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2 is not displaced from the outermost-toe joint side region P2.

As described above, in a state where the outer-surface part of the metatarsophalangeal joint pushes up the cloth of the legwear 1 during walking, the legwear 1 is not displaced relative to the foot F. This causes force for pushing the cloth of the legwear 1 against the inside surface of the shoe, thereby causing the outer-surface part of the metatarsophalangeal joint to come into close contact with the legwear 1. Further, the low-stretching part 10 is open downward. The metatarsophalangeal joint is thus not prevented from being moved when the foot kicks the surface of the ground. This prevents the legwear 1 from coming off from the foot F.

The present embodiment is legwear 1 including low-stretching parts 10 at respective positions corresponding to respective sides of the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2. Legwear tends to come off from the outermost-toe side due to a walking mechanism. The legwear 1 may thus alternatively include a low-stretching part 10 only on the side of the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2.

The legwear 1 may alternatively include a low-stretching part 10 at the heel part 24. This can prevent the heel part 24 from coming off. If the heel part 24 has come off, the feeling of being fitted with the foot F is decreased significantly. The heel part 24 coming off directly leads to the toe part coming off. Providing a low-stretching part 10 at the heel part 24 can eventually prevent the toe part from coming off.

(Damage to Skin)

The description below supplementarily deals in terms of the thickness of the skin with how the legwear 1, which includes a low-stretching part 10 made of resin, can reduce, for example, inflammation of the skin as compared to conventional legwear including resin at the periphery of the opening part of the instep part (that is, above the toes of the foot).

The skin has a horny layer that gradually becomes harder and thicker as a result of a stimulus such as pressure or friction. The skin near the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2 tends to touch the shoe each time the foot is put on a surface and receive stimuli. The skin above the toes of the foot F, in contrast, tends to receive less stimuli than the skin near the metatarsophalangeal joints. Thus, although there is an individual difference, the skin near the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2 normally has a thickness larger than that of the skin above the toes of the foot F as illustrated in (a) and (b) of FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 provides diagrams each for explaining the thickness of skin. (a) of FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the thickness of the skin at the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2. (b) of FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the thickness of the skin above the toes of the foot F. In (a) of FIG. 5, the thickness T1 represents the thickness of the entire skin at the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2, the thickness T11 represents the thickness of skin at the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2 which skin can suffer from inflammation, and the thickness T12 represents the thickness of skin at the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2 which skin does not suffer from inflammation. In (b) of FIG. 5, the thickness T2 represents the thickness of the entire skin above the toes of the foot F, the thickness T21 represents the thickness of skin above the toes of the foot F which skin can suffer from inflammation, and the thickness T22 represents the thickness of skin above the toes of the foot F which skin does not suffer from inflammation.

As illustrated in (a) and (b) of FIG. 5, the legwear 1 is arranged such that the thickness of skin surface that can suffer from, for example, inflammation has a proportion relative to the thickness of the entire skin which proportion is lower than that for conventional legwear. The legwear 1 can thus reduce, for example, inflammation.

As described above, the outer surface of the metatarsophalangeal joint is pushed against the shoe during walking. The legwear 1 includes a low-stretching part 10 at a position corresponding to the metatarsophalangeal joint, near which the skin is relatively strong and which has a low risk of suffering from a skin disorder such as inflammation compared to the instep part. Thus, even in a case where the low-stretching part 10 has been formed by applying resin, the skin is damaged less. Examples of the resin include not only silicon but also urethane rubber and ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), which is regarded as being kind to the skin.

[Variation 1]

The description below deals with variations of the low-stretching part 10 with reference to (a) to (o) of FIG. 6. (a) to (o) of FIG. 6 are each a diagram illustrating a variation of the low-stretching part 10 in accordance with the present embodiment. The variations each deal with a low-stretching part 10 provided around the innermost-toe joint side region P1. A similar description applies also to a low-stretching part 10 provided around the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2. The innermost-toe joint side region P1 shown in FIG. 6 has a darker region corresponding to the region Q11, which is a region of the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 which region protrudes most.

The embodiment described above includes a low-stretching part 10 substantially in the shape of an angled C that is open toward the side of the sole of a foot F. The low-stretching part 10 may alternatively be in the shape of the letter U, Y, V, or O. The low-stretching part 10 may further alternatively be in the shape of dots arranged to prevent the cloth from being moved in a downward direction or front-back direction. The description below deals with specific examples of these.

The low-stretching part 10 illustrated in (a) of FIG. 6 is, for example, similar to that illustrated in (a) of FIG. 1, but differs therefrom in that the first strip-shaped part 11 c and the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are continuous with each other. The first strip-shaped part 11 c has a side facing the innermost-toe joint side region P1 which side is has a length smaller than the width of the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b have respective lower end portions lower in position than the center of the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are oriented in such a pattern as to be farther apart from each other toward below.

The low-stretching part 10 illustrated in (b) of FIG. 6 is similar to that illustrated in (a) of FIG. 1, but differs therefrom in that the first strip-shaped part 11 c, the second strip-shaped part 11 a, and the second strip-shaped part 11 b are all separated from one another. The first strip-shaped part 11 c has a length smaller than the width of the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b have respective lower end portions lower in position than the center of the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are oriented in such a pattern as to be farther apart from each other toward below.

The low-stretching part 10 illustrated in (c) of FIG. 6 is similar to that illustrated in (b) of FIG. 1, but differs therefrom in that the second strip-shaped part 11 a, which is located forward of the innermost-toe joint side region P1, has a lower end portion lower in position than the center of the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The second strip-shaped part 11 b, which is located backward of the innermost-toe joint side region P1, has a lower end portion higher in position than the center of the innermost-toe joint side region P1.

The low-stretching part 10 illustrated in (d) of FIG. 6 is similar to that illustrated in (c) of FIG. 6, but differs therefrom in that the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are not farther apart from each other toward below and that the second strip-shaped part 11 a, which is located forward of the innermost-toe joint side region P1, also has a lower end portion higher than the center of the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are substantially parallel to each other.

The low-stretching part 10 illustrated in (e) of FIG. 6 is similar to that illustrated in (d) of FIG. 6, but differs therefrom in that the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b have respective lower end portions lower in position than the center of the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The first strip-shaped part 11 c and the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are each made up of discontinuously arranged third strip-shaped parts 11 d that are substantially parallel to one another in the front-back direction x and that differ from one another in thickness. In other words, the first strip-shaped part 11 c and the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b in (e) of FIG. 6 are each shaped with a group of third strip-shaped parts 11 d.

The low-stretching part 10 illustrated in (f) of FIG. 6 is similar to that illustrated in (e) of FIG. 6, but differs therefrom in that the first strip-shaped part 11 c and the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are each made up of not third strip-shaped parts 11 d but a group of dots 11 e substantially in the shape of a strip.

The low-stretching part 10 illustrated in (g) of FIG. 6 is similar to that illustrated in (e) of FIG. 6, but differs therefrom in that the first strip-shaped part 11 c and the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are each made up of not third strip-shaped parts 11 d but a group of line-shaped parts 11 f substantially in the shape of a strip. Specifically, the first strip-shaped part 11 c is made up of a plurality of line-shaped parts 11 f that are thinner than the first strip-shaped part 11 c and that are substantially parallel to one another in the front-back direction x. The second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are each made up of a plurality of line-shaped parts 11 f that are thinner than either of the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b and that are substantially parallel to one another in the up-down direction y. The first strip-shaped part 11 c has a length larger than the width of the innermost-toe joint side region P1.

The low-stretching part 10 illustrated in (h) of FIG. 6 is arranged such that the first strip-shaped part 11 c and the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are continuous with each other. The second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b have respective lower end portions lower in position than the center of the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The low-stretching part 10 is substantially in the shape of an angled C that is open toward the side of the sole. The first strip-shaped part 11 c has a length larger than the width of the innermost-toe joint side region P1.

The low-stretching part 10 illustrated in (i) of FIG. 6 is similar to that illustrated in (g) of FIG. 6, but differs therefrom in that the first strip-shaped part 11 c and the second strip-shaped parts 11 a and 11 b are each in the shape of a thin wavy line.

(j) of FIG. 6 illustrates a low-stretching part 10 including two oblique strip-shaped parts 12 a and 12 b each extending in an oblique direction different from the substantially front-back direction x and the substantially up-down direction y. The oblique strip-shaped parts 12 a and 12 b are provided in such a manner as to sandwich the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The oblique strip-shaped parts 12 a and 12 b are oriented in such a pattern as to be farther apart from each other toward below.

(k) of FIG. 6 illustrates a low-stretching part 10 including circular parts 13 a, 13 b, and 13 c each having a predetermined size. The circular parts 13 a and 13 b are provided in such a manner as to sandwich the innermost-toe joint side region P1 in the front-back direction. The circular part 13 c is provided above the innermost-toe joint side region P1.

(l) of FIG. 6 illustrates a low-stretching part 10 including circular parts 13 d and 13 e each having a predetermined size. The circular part 13 d is provided forward of and above the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The circular part 13 e is provided backward of and above the innermost-toe joint side region P1.

(m) of FIG. 6 illustrates a low-stretching part 10 including a plurality of line-shaped parts 14 a above a lower end portion of the innermost-toe joint side region P1 which line-shaped parts 14 a extend radially above from the innermost-toe joint side region P1.

(n) of FIG. 6 illustrates a low-stretching part 10 including a ring-shaped part 15 a substantially in the shape of a ring surrounding the innermost-toe joint side region P1.

(o) of FIG. 6 illustrates a low-stretching part 10 including a curved strip-shaped part 16 a in the shape of a curve extending from the side of a lower end portion of the innermost-toe joint side region P1 along an upper portion of the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The curved strip-shaped part 16 a becomes wider toward the center of the curved strip-shaped part 16 a.

The shape of the low-stretching part 10 is summarized as follow: The low-stretching part 10 may have any position, size, or shape as long as the low-stretching part 10 is arranged to prevent the movements (1) and (2) below of the cloth. (1) Movement of the cloth of the innermost-toe joint side region P1 in a downward direction and front-back direction relative to the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 (2) Movement of the cloth of the outermost-toe joint side region P2 in a downward direction and front-back direction relative to the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2 Even in a case where it is impossible, in a state where the legwear 1 is not worn, to determine the position of the innermost-toe joint side region P1 relative to the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 or the position of the outermost-toe joint side region P2 relative to the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2, such a positional relationship can simply be determined in a state where the legwear 1 is worn. The movements (1) and (2) above of the cloth can be prevented under the conditions (A) and (B) below, for example. The variations described above each satisfy the conditions below.

The condition (A) is that the low-stretching part 10 must be present both forward and backward of the innermost-toe joint side region P1 in the front-back direction. A low-stretching part 10 present on only one side of the innermost-toe joint side region P1 in the front-back direction will cause displacement between the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 and the innermost-toe joint side region P1. On this point as well, even in the case where it is impossible, in the state where the legwear 1 is not worn, to determine the position of the low-stretching part 10 on the front and back sides of the innermost-toe joint side region P1, the positional relationship between the innermost-toe joint side region P1 and the low-stretching part 10 can, as described above, simply be determined in the state where the legwear 1 is worn. The state where it is impossible, in the state where the legwear 1 is not worn, to determine the position of the low-stretching part 10 on the front and back sides of the innermost-toe joint side region P1 refers to, for example, a state where since the cloth of the legwear 1 has been shrunk, the low-stretching part 10 coincides clearly with the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1. The state where the positional relationship between the innermost-toe joint side region P1 and the low-stretching part 10 can be determined in the state where the legwear 1 is worn refers to a state where since the cloth of the legwear 1 has been expanded as a result of the legwear 1 being worn, the low-stretching part 10 is present on the front and back sides of the innermost-toe joint side region P1.

The condition (B) is that in a case where the low-stretching part 10 includes parts that are continuous with each other or that are separated from each other, the parts are apart from each other by a distance smaller than the innermost-toe joint side region P1. Referring to (j) of FIG. 6, the oblique strip-shaped parts 12 a and 12 b have respective upper end portions apart from each other by a distance W1 that needs to be smaller than the width W2 of the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The metatarsophalangeal joint and the low-stretching part 10 are desirably close to each other. However, since the metatarsophalangeal joint and the low-stretching part 10 are apart from each other by a distance, the metatarsophalangeal joint and the low-stretching part 10 may be displaced relative to each other accordingly. The distance between the metatarsophalangeal joint and the low-stretching part 10 thus simply needs to be small enough to at least not let the legwear 1 come off (that is, not let the toes be exposed entirely) even in a case where the innermost-toe joint side region P1 has been displaced relative to the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1 or a case where the outermost-toe joint side region P2 has been displaced relative to the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q2.

The low-stretching part 10 may or may not be present below the lower end portion of the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The low-stretching part 10 is simply arranged to at least prevent the innermost-toe joint side region P1 from being displaced in a downward direction relative to the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1, as the low-stretching part 10 is caught by the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint Q1. The low-stretching part 10 (that is, the oblique strip-shaped parts 12 a and 12 b) has a lower end portion extending below beyond the position H1 of the upper end of the innermost-toe joint side region P1 as illustrated in (a) of FIG. 6.

The low-stretching part 10 simply needs to be present by at least only a small area on each of the front and back sides of the front-back direction of the innermost-toe joint side region P1. The low-stretching part 10 may have any width in the front-back direction or thickness.

The legwear 1 of an embodiment of the present invention is described herein on the basis of an example of shallowly worn legwear 1. The legwear 1 is, however, not limited to that. The legwear 1 may be any legwear that is configured to cover the metatarsophalangeal joint. The legwear 1 may be shallowly worn or deeply worn legwear. The legwear 1 may be not only a foot cover but also a sock such as a crew sock or knee sock. The legwear 1 may further be legwear that is configured to cover a lower leg part such as tights, a toe cover configured to cover only toes, or a foot cover configured to be caught by the heel part in the shape of a strip.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments, but can be altered by a skilled person in the art within the scope of the claims. The present invention also encompasses, in its technical scope, any embodiment derived by combining technical means disclosed in differing embodiments.

Aspects of the present invention can also be expressed as follows:

Legwear in accordance with an aspect of the present invention includes: a main body part configured to cover at least an area from a toe of a foot to an innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint and an outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint, the main body part including (i) an innermost-toe joint side region configured to cover the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint and (ii) an outermost-toe joint side region configured to cover the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint, the main body part being stretchable; and at least one low-stretching part provided around at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region and configured to prevent the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region from being displaced relative to the foot in a downward direction or a front-back direction, the downward direction being part of an up-down direction as a thickness direction of the foot, the front-back direction being a longitudinal direction of the foot, the at least one low-stretching part at least either being less stretchable than the main body part or having larger friction with the foot than the main body part has with the foot.

The above arrangement allows a low-stretching part provided around the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region to prevent the region from being displaced (moved) in the downward direction or the front-back direction. The above arrangement can thus prevent the toe part of the legwear from being displaced or coming off, without compressing the foot. This can in turn provide legwear that causes no stress such as compression or damage to the skin and that effectively prevents a toe part from becoming displaced or coming off.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the at least one low-stretching part is present in an upward direction and the front-back direction relative to the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region.

The above arrangement makes it possible to effectively prevent the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region from becoming displaced in the downward direction or the front-back direction.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the at least one low-stretching part has a first inner surface that comes into contact with the foot, the main body part has a second inner surface that comes into contact with the foot, and the first inner surface has larger friction with the foot than the second inner surface has with the foot.

The above arrangement prevents the low-stretching part from being moved relative to the foot. This allows the low-stretching part to more effectively prevent the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region from becoming displaced.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the at least one low-stretching part is provided both around the innermost-toe joint side region and around the outermost-toe joint side region.

The above arrangement can prevent the toe part of the legwear from becoming displaced or coming off on opposite sides in the width direction of the foot. This can reliably prevent the toe part from becoming displaced or coming off.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the at least one low-stretching part is in a shape of a strip.

With the above arrangement, the low-stretching part is in the shape of a strip. This allows the low-stretching part to serve as a stopper, and can more effectively prevent the displacement.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the at least one low-stretching part, which is in the shape of the strip, includes two low-stretching parts, the two low-stretching parts are present in such a pattern as to sandwich the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region in the front-back direction, and the two low-stretching parts have respective lower end portions separated from each other by a distance that is at least not less than a width of the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region.

The above arrangement allows the cloth to become stretched without preventing a metatarsophalangeal joint from moving when the foot is bent about an axis extending through the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint (that is, from the start of kicking to the end thereof) during walking. This can suitably prevent the legwear from becoming displaced or coming off.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the at least one low-stretching part includes (i) a first strip-shaped part configured to prevent the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region from becoming stretched in the front-back direction and (ii) second strip-shaped parts configured to prevent the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region from becoming stretched in the up-down direction.

The above arrangement allows the first strip-shaped part to prevent the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region from becoming stretched in the front-back direction and the second strip-shaped parts to prevent the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region from becoming stretched in the up-down direction. This makes it possible to prevent the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region from becoming displaced in the downward direction or the front-back direction.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the second strip-shaped parts are present in such a pattern as to sandwich the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region in the front-back direction.

The above arrangement allows the second strip-shaped parts to be present in such a pattern as to sandwich the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region in the front-back direction. This makes it possible to effectively prevent the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region from becoming moved relative to the foot in the front-back direction.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the at least one low-stretching part is substantially in a shape of an angled C that is open toward a side of a sole of the foot.

The above arrangement allows the second strip-shaped parts to be present in such a pattern as to sandwich the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region in the front-back direction. This makes it possible to effectively prevent the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region from becoming displaced in the downward direction. Further, orienting the second strip-shaped parts so that the respective upper end portions are connected with each other by the first strip-shaped part or are close to the first strip-shaped part makes it possible to prevent the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region from becoming displaced relative to the foot in the downward direction. This makes it possible to effectively prevent the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region from becoming displaced in any direction other than the upward direction.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the second strip-shaped parts each have a lower end in the downward direction which lower end is present below a center of the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region in the up-down direction.

The above arrangement makes it possible to sufficiently prevent the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region from becoming displaced in the downward direction.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the first strip-shaped part has a side facing the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region which side has a length smaller than a width of the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region, and the second strip-shaped parts are each longer than the first strip-shaped part and are oriented in such a pattern as to be farther apart from each other toward below.

The above arrangement allows the low-stretching parts to become even farther apart from each other in response to the foot becoming bent about an axis extending through the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint and the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint as a result of walking and exercising, thereby allowing the cloth to expand without preventing the joint from moving. This can in turn suitably prevent the legwear from becoming displaced relative to the innermost-toe joint side region or outermost-toe joint side region or coming off, without impairing wearing comfort.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the first strip-shaped part and the second strip-shaped parts are continuous with each other.

The above arrangement allows the strip-shaped parts to be continuous with each other, and thereby makes it less likely for the strip-shaped parts to be partially displaced relative to each other.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the main body part is made of fabric and includes (i) a toe part for covering the toe, (ii) a sole part for covering a sole of the foot, (iii) side parts for covering respective opposite sides of the foot, and (iv) a heel part for covering a heel of the foot.

The above arrangement allows the legwear to be fitted well with the foot, and can thereby provide a sock that effectively prevents the toe part from becoming displaced or coming off.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the legwear is a foot cover that exposes an instep and an ankle of the foot.

The present invention is suitably applicable to a foot cover, and can prevent the toe part from becoming displaced or coming off.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the foot cover has a shallowly worn shape that exposes part of a branching site of toes of the foot.

The present invention is particularly suitably applicable to a foot cover having a shallowly worn shape, and can prevent the toe part from becoming displaced or coming off.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the toe part is shaped to be gently inclined from an innermost-toe side to an outermost-toe side along a contour of the toes.

The above arrangement allows the toe part to be fitted better with the foot, and can more suitably prevent the toe part from becoming displaced or coming off.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the heel part has an inner surface provided with a nonslip portion.

The above arrangement provides a nonslip portion on the inner surface of the heel part, and can thereby prevent the heel part of the legwear from becoming displaced or coming off.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the at least one low-stretching part is made of resin applied to an inner surface of the main body part.

The above arrangement allows a low-stretching part made of resin to come into close contact with the skin, and can more suitably prevent the toe part from becoming displaced or coming off.

The legwear of an aspect of the present invention may be arranged such that the main body part includes a toe part for covering the toe which toe part has a plurality of toe insertion parts.

With the above arrangement, the legwear can have, for example, two or five toe insertion parts. This allows the toes to be inserted into the toe insertion parts, and thereby prevents the cloth of the main body part from being moved. This can in turn effectively prevent the toe part from becoming displaced or coming off.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   1 Legwear -   2 Main body part -   10 Low-stretching part -   21 Sole part -   22 Toe part -   23 Side part -   24 Heel part -   11 a, 11 b Second strip-shaped part -   11 c First strip-shaped part -   F Foot -   Q1 Innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint -   Q2 Outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint -   P1 Innermost-toe joint side region -   P2 Outermost-toe joint side region -   x Front-back direction -   y Up-down direction 

1. Legwear, comprising: a main body part configured to cover at least an area from a toe of a foot to an innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint and an outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint, the main body part including (i) an innermost-toe joint side region configured to cover the innermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint and (ii) an outermost-toe joint side region configured to cover the outermost-toe metatarsophalangeal joint, the main body part being stretchable; and at least one low-stretching part provided around at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region and configured to prevent the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region from being displaced relative to the foot in a downward direction or a front-back direction, the downward direction being part of an up-down direction as a thickness direction of the foot, the front-back direction being a longitudinal direction of the foot, the at least one low-stretching part at least either being less stretchable than the main body part or having larger friction with the foot than the main body part has with the foot.
 2. The legwear according to claim 1, wherein the at least one low-stretching part is present in an upward direction and the front-back direction relative to the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region.
 3. The legwear according to claim 1, wherein the at least one low-stretching part has a first inner surface that comes into contact with the foot, the main body part has a second inner surface that comes into contact with the foot, and the first inner surface has larger friction with the foot than the second inner surface has with the foot.
 4. The legwear according to claim 1, wherein the at least one low-stretching part is provided both around the innermost-toe joint side region and around the outermost-toe joint side region.
 5. The legwear according to claim 1, wherein the at least one low-stretching part is in a shape of a strip.
 6. The legwear according to claim 5, wherein the at least one low-stretching part, which is in the shape of the strip, includes two low-stretching parts, the two low-stretching parts are present in such a pattern as to sandwich the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region in the front-back direction, and the two low-stretching parts have respective lower end portions separated from each other by a distance that is at least not less than a width of the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region.
 7. The legwear according to claim 5, wherein the at least one low-stretching part includes (i) a first strip-shaped part configured to prevent the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region from becoming stretched in the front-back direction and (ii) second strip-shaped parts configured to prevent the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region from becoming stretched in the up-down direction.
 8. The legwear according to claim 7, wherein the second strip-shaped parts are present in such a pattern as to sandwich the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region in the front-back direction.
 9. The legwear according to claim 8, wherein the at least one low-stretching part is substantially in a shape of an angled C that is open toward a side of a sole of the foot.
 10. The legwear according to claim 7, wherein the second strip-shaped parts each have a lower end in the downward direction which lower end is present below a center of the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region in the up-down direction.
 11. The legwear according to claim 8, wherein the first strip-shaped part has a side facing the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region which side has a length smaller than a width of the at least one of the innermost-toe joint side region and the outermost-toe joint side region, and the second strip-shaped parts are each longer than the first strip-shaped part and are oriented in such a pattern as to be farther apart from each other toward below.
 12. The legwear according to claim 7, wherein the first strip-shaped part and the second strip-shaped parts are continuous with each other.
 13. The legwear according to claim 1, wherein the main body part is made of fabric and includes (i) a toe part for covering the toe, (ii) a sole part for covering a sole of the foot, (iii) side parts for covering respective opposite sides of the foot, and (iv) a heel part for covering a heel of the foot.
 14. The legwear according to claim 13, wherein the legwear is a foot cover that exposes an instep and an ankle of the foot.
 15. The legwear according to claim 14, wherein the foot cover has a shallowly worn shape that exposes part of a branching site of toes of the foot.
 16. The legwear according to claim 15, wherein the toe part is shaped to be gently inclined from an innermost-toe side to an outermost-toe side along a contour of the toes.
 17. The legwear according to claim 13, wherein the heel part has an inner surface provided with a nonslip portion.
 18. The legwear according to claim 1, wherein the at least one low-stretching part is made of resin applied to an inner surface of the main body part.
 19. The legwear according to claim 1, wherein the main body part includes a toe part for covering the toe which toe part has a plurality of toe insertion parts. 